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ANOCA ELECTION OFFERS AFRICA CHANCE FOR ‘A FRESH START’

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BY AIPS AFRICA TEAM.

A fresh start! That is what the four contenders for presidency of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa are promising the 54-member nations.

After all it’s been 13 years of no change with Lt. Lassana Palenfo at the helm.

The Ivorian, the longest serving ANOCA president, opted not to seek re-election after turbulent recent times for the Abuja based association.

The 77-year-old barely served a year into his fourth term, when the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that ANOCA must hold fresh elections.

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This was after the ANOCA executive committee, controversially blocked Cameroon’s Hamad Kalkaba Malboum his only challenger at the elections in May 2017 in Djibouti, from contesting the elections over alleged bribery and inappropriate campaign.

But CAS upheld the appeal by Kalkaba and directed that fresh polls must be held.

The four players

Kalkaba is one of the four vying to replace Palenfo at the elections in Tokyo, being held on the sidelines of a tensed ANOC general assembly in Tokyo.

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Hamad Kalkaba Malboum of Cameroon

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The others are Algeria’s Mustapha Berraf, Botswana’s Negroes Malealea Kgosietsile and Burundi’s Lydia Nsekera.

Respect, rebuild, united, vibrant are some of the words that have pepper the campaigns of the quartet.

But the first task for the new president will be to oversee and revamp the All Africa Games that will be held in Morocco, a step-in host.

Zambia had been earmarked as organisers of the 2019 event but claimed they were not ready due to lack of facilities.

Here is a look at the four players in their countries ascending order:

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Algeria’s Mustapha Berraf

 

He wants a more efficient and respected ANOCA. He has been the ‘acting president’ since last November in Prague, when Palenfo was relieved of his operational duties.

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Mustapha Berraf

The Algerian was elected vice president of ANOCA in 2005 in Accra. It is this experience that the Berraf, who is also serving his fourth term as president of the Algerian Olympic Committee, hopes he can bank on to succeed his former boss.

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If he is elected he will be the first North African to lead ANOCA.

All the five previous presidents have been from central, east and west Africa.

He led and hosted the Africa Youth Games in Algiers this year, a platform he used to endear himself to the members.

His biggest selling point has been marketing the association, its activities and providing resources for its members.

“We intend to perpetuate the initiatives we have undertaken by providing our organization with the necessary financial and material resources for the African Youth Games in Lesotho, Beach Games in

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Cape Verde and the African Games in Morocco,” underlined the 63-year-old basketball star who has had a fair share of controversy back home.

His stint as NOC president was tainted by a corruption scandal as a director of a publicly managed shopping centre in the 90s.

He hopes to use his management experience to transform ANOCA.

“We will also focus on professionalizing the management of ANOCA’s products and assets, as well as the introduction of new marketable products and programs.”

Botswana’s Negroes Malealea Kgosietsile

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Negroes the ‘competent, selfless and tested’ leader ANOCA needs The Botswana was the last one to formally declare his intention to contest.

The former NOC president considers himself as the change candidate ANOCA needs after a rather dull five years. In his 16-year terms as the NOC president he oversaw the 2014

 

Africa Youth Games, an event that boosted the Southern African country’s profile.

This influenced his country’s decision to bid for the 2022 Youth

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Olympic Games that were last month awarded to Senegal.

Negroes ventured into sport after a career in finance, skills he is banking on to professionalize the operations of ANOCA.

 

“It is of critical importance for the ANOCA Electorate to assign a competent, selfless and tested leader to catapult the organization to its rightful place,” said Negroes who serves on the ANOCA Executive committee.

Despite not having any continental know-how feels there is need to fix the association’s operations and review the constitution.

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“The conduct of our meetings has in the past tended to deprive the

General Assembly of its powers to debate matters and make informed decisions.

“ANOCA Solidarity funds are still managed by Olympic Solidarity, an indication that ANOCA is not in a position to manage its share of

Solidarity funds,” added the head of the Confederation of Southern African National Olympic Committee.

 

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Burundi’s Lydia Nsekera

Governance and inclusion are at the heart of Nsekera’s campaign. The ascendance of the former basket baller and high jumper will make her the woman to head an Olympic continental section.

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Lydia Nsekera

The 51-year-old is no stranger to firsts. She was the first woman to hold a seat on FIFA’s Executive Committee, and the first woman to head the Burundian football association and the NOC.

Nsekera who began her professional career as an auditor is one of the 13 African IOC members, a position she hopes to leverage on and make history.

The renowned female sports administrator has put youth and women’s issues on the front burner of her campaign.

“Africa is undeniably the continent with the largest number of young people. It is our responsibility as sports leaders to support our girls and boys and help them grow up healthy,” said the Burundian, who

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hopes to take back the presidency to the zone five.

The late Francis Nyangweso from neighbouring Ugandan headed the association between 1999-2001.

Nsekera, who also chairs the IOC women and sport commission has Tokyo 2020 Olympics high on her agenda.

“Top priority will be given to the preparation and planning of Africa’s participation (at Tokyo 2020) by creating small committees whose task will be to propose the most effective way to facilitate the smooth preparation and participation.”

Kalkaba, tried and tested

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The IAAF vice president, who also heads the Confederation of African Athletics, was the trigger of change.

Kalkaba challenged Palenfo again, in what was expected to be a close election but missed on what would have been his second appearance on the ANOCA presidential ballot.

The former Cameroonian track and field athlete was lurking in Palenfo’s shadow at the 2005 elections.

Palenfo replaced Guinea’s Alpha Ibrahim Diallo as ANOCA president after polling 24 of the 51 votes against Alhaji Dandeh-Njie of Gambia, who garnered 16 votes but decided not to contest the run off.

During that election in Ghana, Kalkaba was one of the three contenders who withdrew from the race. The others were Zoumaro

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Gnofame from Togo and Guinea’s Diallo.

 

The veteran sports administrator who is the president of the NOC has in the past headed handball and athletics federations, all-round proficiencies that he feels proves he is capable transforming ANOCA.

“I hope to urge the African Union and African countries to enact laws that will guarantee the status of high-level athletes and their future reconversion through an appropriate social reintegration,” outlined the former musician, who hopes the NOCs can dance to his tune as he looks to write the last chapter of his sports career.

Rebuilding trust and attracting partners are among the key pillars of his campaign, goals that remain slippery for CAA.

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“Increase the financial resources of the Development Zones, to better coordinate the activities of the NOCs.”

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Israel facing potential UEFA suspension vote as political pressure mounts

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UEFA appears poised for an emergency vote on suspending Israel from European competition next week, with national federations scrambling to position themselves amid mounting political pressure following calls for action.

The brewing crisis intensified this week when United Nations experts called for Israel’s suspension from international football amid the unfolding genocide in occupied Palestinian territory.

A source confirmed that Europe’s soccer body could potentially decide next week to vote on whether to suspend Israel from European competition.

Should UEFA vote to ban Israel, it would put the organisation on a collision course with the government of the United States — co-hosts for the 2026 World Cup — which is vehemently against such a motion.

“We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup,” a spokesperson for the U.S. state department told Sky News.

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But even though UEFA has the power to suspend Israel or its clubs from their competitions, it may not be able to stop them from competing in World Cup qualifiers, which fall under the ambit of global soccer body FIFA.

The general secretaries of all UEFA national associations are meeting this week in Marbella, where Israel is not officially on the agenda, but officials expect UEFA to call an emergency vote next week.

FIFA did not respond to a Reuters request for comment while UEFA declined to comment.

Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub said Israelis should not be allowed to participate in any matches, whether they are under UEFA or FIFA.

“Israel has violated the principles, values and FIFA’s statutes. Therefore, I believe that Israel should be sanctioned,” Rajoub told TV2.

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“The sanctions should come from UEFA and FIFA.”

WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

Israel’s national team are set to face Norway and Italy, the top two teams in their World Cup qualifying group, next month.

“We don’t have any indications that we are facing such an act (UEFA suspension),” a spokesperson for the Israel Football Association told Reuters.

“We are focusing on our international matches against Norway and Italy.”

Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) is one of the member associations that have been the driving force behind calling for a meeting on the Israel situation. The NFF declined to comment.

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Lise Klaveness, the president of the NFF and a member of the UEFA Executive Committee, has also been vocal about the crisis in Gaza ahead of her country’s home game against Israel on October 11.

“Neither we nor other organisations can remain indifferent to the humanitarian suffering and disproportionate attacks that the civilian population in Gaza has been subjected to for a long time,” Klaveness said in a statement last month.

“We want to donate the proceeds (from the game) to a humanitarian organisation that saves lives in Gaza every day and provides active emergency aid on the ground.”

The Dutch football federation (KNVB) said it knows nothing about a vote to suspend Israel.

“As soon as the football association receives a message about this, it will take a position,” the KNVB told Dutch outlet NOS.

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Last week, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Israel should be banned from international sports competitions. However, officials from the Spanish FA (RFEF) have kept a low profile on the matter.

Israel maintains that its war is not against the population of Gaza but against the Hamas militant group whose fighters led the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, and precipitated the war.

The subsequent war in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 people, according to local health officials.

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WAFU-B U17 Championship: Golden Eaglets rout Baby Cheetahs 4-1 in Yamoussoukro

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George Agha with his MVP award on Wednesday.

A hat-trick from George Agha and a sublime free-kick goal from David Edeh ensured a comfortable start for five-time world champions Nigeria in the WAFU-B U17 Championship, as the Golden Eaglets routed Baby Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4 -1 in Yamoussoukro on Wednesday.

Agha converted from the spot three minutes into the game after Boluwatife Thompson was hacked inside the box.

Edeh displayed fantastic football artistry to score from a free-kick in the 5th minute of the encounter.

The Eaglets were in cruise control as Agha bagged his brace in the 14th minute. The charges of Manu Garba were very dominant with a three-goal advantage.

Warris Soumanou in goal for Benin Republic was caught napping and his error of judgement gave the Eaglets another goal after a beautiful exchange of passes and dribbles between Thompson and Edeh, which set up Agha for his  hat-trick in the 32nd minute.

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It was raining goals and it was the turn of the Beninoise in the 45th minute, as a low drive from Jeremy Zannou gave the Baby Cheetahs a consolation goal.

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Last-gasp Salah penalty earns below-par Liverpool dramatic victory at Burnley

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Premier League - Burnley v Liverpool - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - September 14, 2025 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in action with Burnley's Hjalmar Ekdal REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Mohamed Salah’s dramatic stoppage-time penalty ensured Liverpool maintained their winning start to the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory at promoted side Burnley on Sunday.

With British record signing Alexander Isak forced to wait for his Liverpool debut having been left out the squad for the trip to Lancashire, the champions struggled to break down a dogged home side in the first half.

After a regroup at the break, the visitors upped the ante in the second half, with Dominik Szoboszlai finally forcing a fine save from Martin Dubravka in the Burnley goal.

Burnley were holding on for a well-earned point with ease, before the ball agonisingly struck substitute Hannibal Mejbri’s arm in the penalty area and Salah slotted the spot kick into the net in the 95th minute to break home hearts.

Liverpool are still to really get going this season, requiring a winner in the last 10 minutes of all four of their league victories so far. The goal that clinched an undeserved success at Turf Moor was certainly the most fortunate.

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After one of the longest transfer sagas in Premier League history finally reached its expected conclusion, Liverpool supporters were forced to wait two weeks for their first glimpse of their 125-million-pound ($169.45-million) goal machine due to the international break.

While coach Arne Slot said this week that Isak would have to be utilised carefully due to his previous injuries and lack of action so far this season, the Swede was still expected to at least be on the bench at Turf Moor.

The wait goes on as, without their expensive new forward, Liverpool mustered just one shot on target in the first half, from left-back Andrew Robertson.

Burnley, who conceded the fewest goals in English football league history last term to earn them promotion, otherwise frustrated the champions with ease. Even Lesley Ugochukwu’s red card for two bookings in the 84th minute did not seem to fluster them.

Even without Isak, Liverpool still had much attacking talent on the Turf Moor pitch but they just could not find that killer pass.

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Salah was especially below par but he made no mistake in the most pressurised moment after Hannibal had stuck up an arm to block Jeremie Frimpong’s cross

The champions’ impressive Premier League goalscoring streak stretches to 38 games nonetheless, their longest such run in the competition.

-Reuters

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